Welcome to the season of fire! With temperatures set to peak in the high 40s here this week it certainly feels like a furnace. I have now been in Abu Dhabi for a full year, and whereas in Scotland, June was filled with anticipation for some long, warm days ahead, here it feels like we are all waiting for a chance to escape. There are just a few more weeks until Ramadan, then it's the school holidays, and then all the talk is about what jet plane we are leaving on. Of course, some of my fellow economic migrants will not be as lucky as me and my heart goes out to anyone who has to work outside all summer in this baking heat, especially if they are fasting. Even with shorter working hours this would be an extreme test of human endurance. So over the next few weeks, as I try and keep my internal fire (tapas) under control, and keep a lid on my frayed temper after a long year of living in this beautiful, challenging, strange world, I will open up my heart and send out some gratitude to all the people that make it possible for me to be here.
So how can we use our seasonal yoga practice to help with this? Cardio-vascular exercise is great in the summertime to get the heart pumping, but try to avoid burn out and exhaustion by doing your exercise in the morning when the internal and external temperature is cooler. A practice with order or routine is good for keeping us calm and grounded, so the balance of discipline and power that you get with Ashtanga yoga is ideal. Try to include lots of heart opening poses and back bends in your practice too, as well as arm balances to stimulate the heart and small intestine meridians that run up and down the arms and shoulders. Ustrasana (camel), Camatkarasana (wild thing, see below), Anahatasana (puppy), Threading the needle, Upward Facing Dog, Dhanurasana (bow) and Bakasana (crow) variations are all ideal challenging, energising and fun postures to get you laughing and sweating. At the end of each session, take your hands to your heart centre (Anahata chakra) in Namaste and spend a few moments focused on letting in love and light, then send that love out to your friends, family, neighbours and the wider world.
Take rest in the day time when you can and cool the bodies internal temperature by including as much raw food in the diet as possible. Seasonal salads and juices with heat reducing foods like celery, lettuce, kale, cucumber, lemon, watermelon, mint and aubergine are ideal. All sounds pretty Middle Eastern to me - suddenly that Fattoush and Babaganoush makes sense! I am also currently obsessed with my new nutri-bullet which makes awesome raw smoothies and fills my tummy when I know I need energy but don't feel like eating in the heat.
If you're trapped inside in the air conditioning, nip to the nearest mall and buy an oil diffuser and some oils like rose, rosemary & ylang ylang to calm, balance and fill the heart with joy. The steam from the diffuser will also help humidify the dry air.
Finally, live like a local and save your socialising for the evening! Summer is a time for laughter, joy, friends and family. Don't lock yourself away waiting for that plane, but wait till the sun sets, gather the people you won't see again until the autumn and laugh about all your adventures over the last few months. Then when we do leave we will do so with a full heart, looking forward to our return almost as much as we are looking forward to our departure.
Season - Summer
Dates - 21st June -20th August
Organs - Heart & Small Intestine
Colour - Red
Element - Fire
Chakra - Anahata (heart)
Pranayama - Kapalabati (to build heat) or Shitalli/Seetkarin (to cool)
For more information on Seasonal Yoga check out Energy in Season: 5 Keys to Vitality by the amazing and inspirational Susan Woodd and Julie Hanson.
For more information on Seasonal Yoga check out Energy in Season: 5 Keys to Vitality by the amazing and inspirational Susan Woodd and Julie Hanson.
